Vibrating plow with balanced forces

ABSTRACT

This plow implement is made with a main frame and two plowcarrying subframes which are mounted for lateral swinging movement below the main frame. An eccentric arrangement between the two subframes laterally vibrates the subframes equally and opposite. Therefore, the main frame is isolated from vibration and is adapted to be attached to tractors or to have other machinery placed on it.

United States Patent 8/1909 Thompson....................

Inventor Thelmer A. Rogers P.O. Drawer 1589, Lubboc 786,232

3/1927 Maxon,Jr...

k, Tex. 79408 8/1967 Rogers 3/1926 Stebbins..

8/ 959 Allen et a1. 74/61 X 3/ 966 Allen et a1.

9/ 966 Allen et a1.

[2 l Appl. No. [22] Filed Dec. 23, 1968 [45] Patented Dec. 14, 1971 CED FORCES 967 Carter....... 172/40 3,499,494 970 Gijzenberg.,..,.............. l72/101X [54] VIBRATING PLOW WITH BALAN I Clalm, 12 Drawing Figs.

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and two plow-carrying subframes which are mounted for lateral swinging movement below the: main frame. An eccenally vibrates re, the main pted to be attached to tractors or to have other machinery placed on it.

tric arrangement between the two subframes later the subframes equally and opposite. Therefo frame is isolated from vibration and is ada S T N H m d n WA .m ID: H n. E mm W H m ms rT w n k awh e 1 E %MA W 905 N678 888 n 970 8 9 I19 458 902 M 13 Patented Dec 14, 1971 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 I INVENTO'R THELMER A ROGERS Patented Dec. 14, 1971 3,627,056

4 Sheets-Sheet 2 v |NVENTOR= THELMER A. ROGERS Patented Dec. 14, 1971 3,627,056

4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR: THELI IER A. ROGERS Patented Dec. 14, 1971 3,627,056

4 Sheets-Sheet 4 F l6. l2 12 Q28 INVENTOR THELMER A. ROGERS VIERATIINGPLOW Wll'lllI-ll BALANCED FORCES CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS The applicant herein has applied for the following patents on vibrating plows; however, no claim of priority is made at this time.

Ser. No. Filling Dale U.S. Pat. No. 4l4.803 Nov. 30, I964 3.451.637 583,030 Sept. 29, I966 3,440,!3 6| l,40l Jun. 24, I967 3,5083! 678.390 Sept. 20, I967 Abandoned BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field ofthe Invention This invention relates to earthworking tools and more particularly to those with a drive means for a tool, specifically, vibrating plows.

2. Description of the Prior Art The benefits of vibrating plows has been recognized for some time.

The prior art includes disclosure of vibrating the entire frame, or tool bar, having a plurality of plows attached to it. For an example, see my U.S. Pat. No. 3,183,979.

Day, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 2,725,799, discloses a scraper vibrating relative to its frame.

Leo, US. Pat. No. 3,l67,l34, discloses the use of an eccentric to vibrate a moldboard plow relative to its frame.

Finn, US. Pat. No. 2,949,87l, discloses an eccentric for vibrating plow with respect to its frame.

Also, Oswalt, US. Pat. No. 2,730,028, discloses a turf perforator having a main frame with two subframes mounted thereon. Each of the subframes having a plurality of spikes with a vibrator on them.

Allen, et al., US. Pat. No. 3,122,930, discloses a particular type of vibration having a stiff arm which attaches to the mechanism to be vibrated so that the eccentric weight rotated at one end of the stiff arm produces primarily a unidirectional vibration upon the mechanism; however, this is not associated with earthworking equipment.

A major problem with vibrating plows is to prevent the vibration of the plow from injuring the draft vehicle or associated equipment.

I have previously disclosed in US. Pat. No. 3,336,985 a plow having a plurality of plow shanks resiliently attached to a single tool bar. Each of the plow shanks was then independently vibrated with the vibrations in each shank so phased that there was no resultant vibration from the tool bar into the draft vehicle. An eccentric weight vibrator was used to vibrate each shaft.

Ream, US. Pat. No. 2,690,902, discloses an ice scraper mounted upon a road maintainer which has a plurality of tools, each of which is driven from an eccentric on a rotating shaft through a pitman to the tool. The various tools are driven out of phase.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to one embodiment of this invention, a main frame is constructed and is attached to the draft vehicle for pulling along the earth. Provisions are made for supporting the main frame and for lifting it to considerable height, thus removing attached plows from the ground. Inasmuch as the main frame will be primarily isolated from the vibration, secondary equipment such as tanks for fertilizers or engines or other types of mechanical equipment may be mounted upon the main frame. Also, the main frame being isolated from vibrations, vibrations are not transmitted into the draft vehicle to which it is attached by conventional three-point attachment.

Two subframes are mounted immediately below the main frame. Each of the subframes is approximately one-half the size of the main frame. The subframes are mounted to the main frame for horizontal movement nonnal to the direction of draft. The subframes are swung by cranks, each of the cranks being attached to pivot bars. The subframes are vibrated by any of a number of means. E.g., they can be pushed away from each other and pulled toward each other by rotating eccentric weights or by hydraulic cylinders or by internal combustion motors or otherwise. The preferred embodiment involves a rotating shaft joumaled to one subframe, aligned with the direction of draft, to which is mounted eccentries or cranks and piunans extend from the cranks to the other subframe. Inasmuch as both of the subframes go out at the same time and move in at the same time, they will be moving equally in opposite directions. Thus any vibratory reaction they might have will be cancelled out, leaving the main frame substantially free of vibrations.

An object of this invention is to vibrate a plow and prevent transmission of vibration into associated machinery.

Other objects are to achieve the above with a device that is sturdy, compact, durable, simple, safe, versatile, efficient and reliable, yet inexpensive and easy to manufacture, operate and maintain.

Further objects are to achieve the above with a method that is safe, rapid, versatile, inexpensive and efficient and does not require skilled people to adjust, operate and maintain.

The specific nature of the invention, as well as other objects, uses, and advantages thereof, will clearly appear from the following description and from the accompanying drawing, the different views of which are not necessarily to the same scale. The space between the main frame and subframes is exaggerated in the drawings for clarity of illustration.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. ll is a perspective view of part ofa tractor attached to a plow according to this invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the plow taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the plow taken on line 3-3 of FIGS. 2 and 4.

FIG. d is a sectional view of the plow taken on line d-i of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the plow taken on line 5-5 of FIGS. 3 and 4 FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 3 ofa second embodiment of a vibrational unit of the plow.

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 5 of the second embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 5 ofa third embodiment ofa vibrational unit for the plow.

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 5 ofa fourth embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 3 ofa fifth embodiment.

FIG. III is a view similar to FIG. 3 ofa sixth embodiment.

FIG. I2 is a view similar to FIG. 5 of the sixth embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Draft vehicle in the form of a conventional rubber tired fann tractor has conventional three-point plow attachment 112. By the three-point plow attachment, main frame M of the plow is attached to the tractor at top point to of A-frame 18. The other two points of connection to the attachment 12 are pins or horns 20. By the conventional three-point attachment l2, plows or ripper blades 22 are lifted clear of the ground. The draft vehicle It) provides both power to move the main frame M thus the power to move the plows 22 over the ground and, also, the draft vehicle 10 forms a means for lifting the plows above the ground and transporting them from one field to another. Furthermore, downward pressure can be transmitted through the attachment from the vehicle 10 to the frame M.

The plows or ripper blades 22 are attached to subframes 24 and 26 by conventional means as is well known in the art and are adapted to extend deep into the earth to cultivate deeply. The main frame 14 has a forward beam or bar 28 which is horizontal and normal to the direction of draft. Afterbeam 30 is parallel to the beam 28 and is the same height above the ground in normal operation, the two beams 28 and 30 are connected together with crossbars or bracing 32.

Each subframe has a forward bar or beam 34 which is parallel to and directly below the forward beam 28 of the main frame. Also, each subframe has an afterbeam 36 which is parallel to and directly below the afterbeam 30. The forward and afterbeams 34 and 36 are tied together in the subframes by bracing 35. However, the beams 34 and 36 are less than one-half the length of beams 28 and 30. Therefore, the subframes are less than half the length of the main frame 14 and the subframe 24 extends to the left half of the main frame and the subframe 26 extends to the right half of the main frame as viewed from the rear. A pin 38 is attached adjacent the end of each of the beams 34 and 36 on the outer edge thereof. l.e., subframe 24 would have four pins 38 and the subframe 26 would have four pins 38. The pins 38 are parallel to each other, horizontal and aligned with the direction of draft. Crank arms 42 are journaled over the pins. The top of the crank arms 42 are attached as by welding to torque bar 46. There are two torque bars for each subframe for a total of four torque bars for the main frame 14. They extend above the beams 28 and 30. (FIG. 2) The torque bars are journaled into bearings 48 which are attached to the top of the main frame beams 28 and 30. Each of the main frame bearings 48 will be located above the subframe pins 38. (The crank arms 42, bars 46, etc., are not shown in FIG. 4 for clarity).

Analysis of the structure described will reveal that each subframe is connected to the main frame by a parallel motion linkage and that the subframes are freely movable horizontally normal to the direction of draft to the main frame. Also, the torque bars will cause the forward and afterbeams 34 and 36 of the subframe to move in unison.

Pitman 41 extends from main bolt 43 depending from the forward beam 28 to subbolt 45 standing on the afterbeam 36 on each subframe. Thus the pitmans 41 transmit the draft from the main frame 14 to the subframes 24 and 26 in the train of transmission from the draft vehicle to plow 22. Through the three-point plow attachment 12, the plows 22 may be lifted free of the earth or downward pressure may be exerted on the plows through the crank arms 42. Therefore, with the mechanism as described, the plows 22 may be forced into the ground through various elements described, including the plow attachment l2.

Eccentric shaft 50 is journaled to the subframe 26 between the two subframes. Bearings 52 journal the eccentric shaft so that it is horizontal and aligned with the direction of draft, i.e., parallel to the pins 38 and the torque bars 46. The eccentric shaft 50 is drivingly connected to the power takeoff of the tractor through drive shaft 54 which includes conventional universal joints 56. The eccentric shaft has eccentric or crank 58 mounted thereon. (FIG. 5) Pitman 62 connects eccentric 58 to vibratory pin 64 attached to subframe 24. Therefore rotation of the eccentric shaft 50 will cause the subframes 24 and 26 to vibrate in a horizontal direction normal to the direction of draft. If the soil being tilled is homogeneous, the movement of the subframes 24 and 26 will be equal and opposite and there will be no resultant forces upon the main frame 14. Therefore, the main frame 14 will not be vibrated, although the plows 22 are vibrated most vigorously. Auxiliary equipment may be mounted on the main frame 14, e.g., equipment used for fertilizing or seed boxes for planting. or motors to drive the eccentric shaft 50, rather than driving it from the power takeoff of the tractor 10. Also, having the vibrations isolated from the main frame 14, the vibration is also isolated from the draft vehicle 10, preventing the wear, tear and damage caused by vibration.

If the soil being tilled is not homogeneous and greater resistunce to movement of the plows is encountered on one side than is on the other, there would be slight force thereby transmitted to the main frame. However, it will be noted that the transmitted force to the main frame 14 will be horizontal and normal to the direction of draft. As explained in my previous Pat. application Ser. No. 583,030, noted above, this horizontal vibration normal to the direction of draft can generally be tolerated by the plow attachment 12; therefore, it is not excessively damaging.

Large sheave 70 on eccentric shaft 50 is connected by endless belt 72 to small fly wheel sheave 74. Fly wheel 76 is connected to the small fly wheel sheave 74 and journaled to the after beam 30 of the main frame 14. Because the sheave 74 is smaller than the sheave 70, the fly wheel will rotate at a higher speed than the eccentric shaft 50. Therefore, without excessive weight, the fly wheel 76 will exert a moderating and leveling influence upon the power requirements transmitted through the drive shaft 54 and U-joints 56.

Obviously other vibrational devices could be used for vibrating the two subframes 24 and 26. For example, FIGS. 6 and 7 show a floating eccentric shaft 80 which is adaptable to be driven by the drive shaft 54. The floating shaft 80 has four eccentrics, two of the eccentrics 82 being aligned and l80 out of phase of the two remaining two eccentrics 84. The eccentries 82 are each connected by connecting rod 86 to subframe 24 and eccentrics 84 are likewise connected by connecting rod 88, connecting connecting rod 88 t0 subframe 26. As illustrated, fly wheel 90 is directly connected to the floating shaft 80.

In another variation, shown in FIG. 9, hydraulic cylinder 92 is attached to subframe 24 between the subframes, and the piston rod 94 of the hydraulic cylinder 92 is connected to the subframe 26. Fluctuating fluid pressure, supplied to the cylinders 22 by the hose 96, causes expansion and contraction of the cylinder, thus vibrating the subframes toward and away from each other equally and opposite.

FIG. 8 shows the use of pendulum vibrator." Stiff arms 98 are pivoted at one end to the subframes 24 and 26. They are maintained approximately horizontal by springs 100. Stiff arms 98 are illustrated as incline for the purposes of clarity in illustration; however, it will be understood from the following description that they would be preferably horizontal. On the end of the stiff arm opposite where they are pivoted to the subframes, eccentric weight 102 is journaled to each of the stiff arms. Means such as drive shaft are provided to rotate the eccentric weights at equal speed in opposite directions. Analysis will show that the weights create a rotating vibration. Of course the horizontal component of this rotating vibration is transmitted to the subframes 24 and 26, respectively, by the stiff arms 98. However, the vertical portion of this rotation causes the stiff arms to move in a vertical direction, their movement being limited by the springs 100. Although the reactions of the spring to the subframe as well as the reaction to the pivot points 104 will cause some slight vertical component of the vibration being transmitted to the subframes, the vertical component transmitted to the subframes will be negligible and the majority of the vibration will be horizontal. With proper timing of the weights, the horizontal vibration of the subframes will be equal and opposite.

FIG. 10 discloses a belt vibrator." in this embodiment, eccentric shaft 106 is journaled to subframe 24 and carries thereon eccentric sheave 108. The center of the perimeter of eccentric sheave 108 is not the axis of the shaft 106. Concentric sheave 110 is journaled to subframe 26. Belt 114 is trained around sheaves 108 and 110. Compression spring 112 biases the subframes away for each other. Analysis of the operation will show that eccentric sheave 108 rotates about the center of the axis of shaft 106 and that the center of the periphery will move in a circle about the axis of the shaft 106. Therefore, when the center of the periphery is toward concentric sheave 110, the compression spring 112 will push the subframes away from each other. However, rotation of the eccentric shaft so that the center of the periphery is on the opposite side of the shaft 106 from concentric sheave 110 will cause tension in the belt 114 connecting the sheaves to pull the subframes toward each other Therefore, it may be seen that there is produced in the subframes equal and opposite vibration.

FIGS. 11 and 12 show a variation of the belt vibrator which eliminates the compression spring 112. In this embodiment an eccentric shaft 116 is used having two eccentric sheaves 118. An idler shaft 120 is pivoted at its center to wobble about its center pivot 122. At either end of the idler shaft 120, there is a concentric sheave 124 which is joumaled for free rotation on the idler shaft. Therefore, it may be seen that rotation of the eccentric shaft 116 by drive shaft 54 will cause the idler shaft 120 to wobble about pivot 122. Therefore, connecting rod 126 connecting one side of the idler shaft to subframe 26 will cause it to vibrate equally and opposite from subframe 24, which is connected to the other side of idler shaft 120 by connecting rod 128.

Thus it will be seen that l have provided a vibrating plow which is readily adapted to be carried by a draft vehicle without transmitting any vibration to the draft vehicle. Furthermore, there is provided a convenient platform on the main frame upon which auxiliary equipment may be carried. Of the different modes of vibrations disclosed, those having a fixed amplitude of vibration, such as the belt vibrator and the connecting rod vibrator. have the advantage of not producing excessive amplitudes of vibration should the vibrator be operated when the plows are out of the ground. This is one of the disadvantages of eccentric weight vibrators as is used in the pendulum vibrator, i.e., when the plows are removed from the ground, there is no limit to the'amplitude of the vibrations produced upon the subframes and it tends to be more excessive. The pendulum vibrators exert an equal force of vibration and therefore, the amplitude is determined, at least in part, by the resistance of the plows. Normally, fixed amplitude vibra tion is undesirable in earth moving equipment, particularly when produced by rigid metal members such as in the connecting rod vibrators. lf rigid resistance is met, such as a rock, the fixed amplitude vibration tends to produce its vibration regardless of resistance and therefore, in such a situation, something must yield. If the rock is stronger than the elements of the plow, such as the rippers 22 or the pitman 62 or connecting rods 86, then some part of the plow machinery will be fractured. However, in my particular design, by having the vibration working against a second plow, as in this particular case, if the plow attached to subframe 24 strikes a rigid obstacle, the result is that the subframe 26 can have twice the vibration if the subframe 24 is prevented from being vibrated by the rigid obstacle. Therefore, a critical situation will be reached only if the ground engaging elements of both subframes are engaged by a rigid obstacle and each of which is stronger than the rigid elements of the vibrating system of the plow.

The belt vibrator has some of the advantages of both systems. It is basically a fixed amplitude vibrator that vibrates the parts the same amount regardless of resistance; however, the normal elasticity or resilience of the belt permits greater or lesser degree of vibration to accommodate obstructions.

Although the embodiments described above are all disclosed as having the main frame 14 attached by a three-point hitch to the tractor 10, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the main frame could be supported by wheels and the plow drug behind the tractor by a single-point hitch. Generally in such arrangement, the vibratory means would be driven by an auxiliary engine mounted on the main frame 14. Also when I say belt, I intend to use the term in its broadest meaning to include chain drives.

The embodiments shown and described above are only exemplary. I do not claim to have invented all the parts, elements, or steps, described. Various modifications can be made in the construction, material, arrangement, and operation, and still be within the scope of my invention. The limits of the invention and the bounds of the patent protection are measured by and defined in the following claims. The restrictive description and drawing of the specific example above do not point out what an infringement of this patent would be, but are to enable the reader to make and use the invention.

1 claim as my invention:

1. in a plow having a. a main frame, b. draft means attached to the frame for moving the frame over the ground,

c. support means attached to the frame for i. supporting the frame in a desired position while plowing, and

ii. lifting the frame above the ground for transportation,

and

d. plow means for working the earth;

e. the improvement comprising:

f. two subframes g. mounted to the frame for movement relative thereto,

h. said plow means equally attached to the subframes,

j. vibrating means interconnecting the subframes for moving them equally and opposite,

it. each of said subframes attached to said main frame by parallel linkage so that they are freely movable laterally in a horizontal direction normal to the direction of draft,

m. a pitman extending from the front of the main frame to the rear of each subframe,

n. said main frame including i. two horizontal bars spaced one in front of the other with ii. cross bracing therebetween,

0. each subframe including i. two horizontal bars spaced one in front of the other with ii. crossbracing therebetween,

p. a pin mounted near each end of each horizontal bar of each subframe,

q. a bearing mounted on the main frame above each pin on the subframe,

r. a torque bar aligned with the direction of draft joumaled in the two bearings on the main frame above the two pins at the ends of any pair of horizontal bars of the subframes, and

s. crank arms attached to the ends of the torque bars t. joumaled over the subframe pins.

lOlOM (H39 

1. In a plow having a. a main frame, b. draft means attached to the frame for moving the frame over the ground, c. support means attached to the frame for i. supporting the frame in a desired position while plowing, and ii. lifting the frame above the ground for transportation, and d. plow means for working the earth; e. the improvement comprising: f. two subframes g. mounted to the frame for movement relative thereto, h. said plow means equally attached to the subframes, j. vibrating means interconnecting the subframes for moving them equally and opposite, k. each of said subframes attached to said main frame by parallel linkage so that they are freely movable laterally in a horizontal direction normal to the direction of draft, m. a pitman extending from the front of the main frame to the rear of each subframe, n. said main frame including i. two horizontal bars spaced one in front of the other with ii. cross bracing therebetween, o. each subframe including i. two horizontal bars spaced one in front of the other with ii. crossbracing therebetween, p. a pin mounted near each end of each horizontal bar of each subframe, q. a bearing mounted on the main frame above each pin on the subframe, r. a torque bar aligned with the direction of draft journaled in the two bearings on the main frame above the two pins at the ends of any pair of horizontal bars of the subframes, and s. crank arms attached to the ends of the torque bars t. journaled over the subframe pins. 